On Bill Maher other day: Why did Olbermann have to apologize for Days in Iraq countdown?

[Leopolds Ghost]

Inexplicably, Maher and Olbermann agreed that things were (somehow qualitatively) different in Iraq in the last 6 months, and that the "situation has changed" but Olbermann said he had to "cop to a certain degree of commercialism" because viewers had come to expect the tradition, but also because "Americans are still in harms way over there". Really? I thought it was mostly Iraqis in harms way at this point. Isn't that what's meant by "the situation is qualitatively changed" and Iraq is no longer relevant to us? What about the fact that it's an illegal occupation? What about the fact that Americans love to gloss things over and paper over every failure by absorbing the losses and moving on to the next disaster with no accountability? The Brits call it "muddling through." At least Obama has the cojones to keep reminding people of the cost of the war in Iraq, although this is yet another appeal to the selfishness of voters who similarly ended Vietnam because of cost, not in a stable manner. And the Brits allowed millions to die (and a current terrorist haven to be created) by "muddling through" the partition of India in order to save money and face, and avoid being called occupiers.

[cleveramerican]

1. The simple answer is.....

its was okay when W was leading the mess.
its more distasteful now that Obama is in charge.
Countdowns ratings must have slipped

[Leopolds Ghost]

2. It could just be that folks don't feel it's newsworthy anymore.

But next time we hear that we "just can't afford" public transit or public housing, what'll be the new excuse?

War is always useful when it can be used as a justification for crimes of omission at home.

It ceases to be of interest when there are other ongoing avenues for defrauding the people.

[summer borealis]

3. Or that Maher just doesn't like it

New rules: Worry about your own show, Bill.

[Berry Cool]

4. I think you're taking Olbermann's apology way too seriously.

And he would never say Iraq is no longer relevant to us--not as long as it is where it is, and especially not while Americans are there. He is hardly what you would call an Iraq apologist.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Bill's show awfully weak this year

for that sort of nit picking of others. The last one was pretty good. The last two I saw were not up to Bill's usual level of work.
Keith was kindly not to point out simply that we are still in Iraq, still killing people and being killed. Changing the President does not change that. We ARE still there. Only now, it is 'the least of our problems'...whatever that means.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

6. Well, the answer was in response to why Olbermann still gives

a day count on when Chucklenuts said, "Mission Accomplished." I took it to mean that Keith was saying he gives the count because there are still Americans in Iraq are still at war despite that faux landing on the air carrier back in May 2003.

Keith acknowledged that things are better, that there is a new president but will continue to give the count until all of our people are out of harm's way. That was my take on the exchange.

And for some reason Maher has gone all mamby pamby soft. He is just phoning it and his writers must be sleeping because this new bunch of shows are painful to watch.